When I think of research.....

When I think of research the first thing that comes to mind for me is the insights I have gained from my course on Building Research Competencies.  From this course I learned that research is more than just statistics and that I should not be intimidated by research studies. 

I have learned the importance of research design, planning, and conducting a research study.  It is important to reflect on personal biases to ensure equity of the study as well as to ensure reliability of the study.  One of the biggest lessons I learned was the importance of examining each step of the research steps: planning, designing, and conducting. 

My biggest challenge throughout this course has been clarifying my steps in my research simulation.  I addressed this challenge by rereading my simulations with the perspective of someone unfamiliar with the process.  When I took this perspective I was able to identify areas that may be unclear and edited those areas. 

My perceptions of early childhood professionals have been modified in that I have a deeper understanding and knowledge of the ways in which early childhood professionals can contribute to early childhood research.

I would also like to thank all of my fellow students for their encouragement, support, and insights.  With your wonderful insights and feedback I have been able to deepen and expand my knowledge of research in the early childhood field. 

Research Around The World

For this assignment I reviewed several articles on the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA).  The EECERA is a non-profit organization solely funded by its world-wide membership.  They generate their own funding and revenue to ensure its independence, innovativeness, and radical attitude (www.eecera.org).

The first article, Researchers Crossing Borders, by Jin-Hee Lee.  In this article the author examines educational practices and concepts across geographical areas.  The author states " By crossing geographical, cultural, or disciplinary borders, we will be better able to reflect upon and learn more deeply about ourselves, and why we do what we do, through the expanded and diversified perspectives of why others do what they do" (Lee, J., p.271).  The author also stated that they are concerned about concepts and ideologies from other cultures being too quickly adopted by other cultures without first considering and examining the cultural meanings and functions they represent.  For me, this was a new insight. While we learn about diversity and cultural differences we often forget to examine this aspect when we get excited about and adopt new practices. 

The EECER Journal allows researchers and practitioners to share experiences, discuss differences, and to learn more about our cultural meanings and differences. 

In the other article, Let us Disagree, by Michel Vandenbroeck the author discusses the changing views on diversity from the 1950's to the present.  "Today, the early years community is much more aware that equality and equity are not synonymous" (Vandenbroeck, M., p.165).  He also states that we must challenge what is taken for granted, and we do this by disagreeing and we must acknowledge that our expertise is provisional and tentative. 

The past articles on this website were very informative and reiterated that we all face the same challenges and the ways that we address these challenges is dependent on our cultures.  By sharing our different views and cultures we can learn and grow from and with one another.

References

Lee, J.H., Researchers crossing borders, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, Vol. 18, Issue 3, p.271-273.

Vandenbroech, M., Let us disagree, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, Vol. 17, Iss. 2, p.165-170.

Research That Benefits Children and Families: Option 2

If I had full reign to design and implement a research project it would be one on the topic of Effective Home Visiting Programs and the impact on young children and families.  I believe a research project of this type would provide many positive benefits for young childen, families, and the early childhood field.

These benefits would include:

• Greater awareness of home visiting programs
• What are they?
• Identifying different types?
• Identifying characteristics that make-up an effective home visiting program
• Professional development for staff
• Types of curriculum utilized
• Documenting positive benefits of home visiting programs
• Child abuse prevention
• Closing educational gaps
• Parental education
• Early detection of possible developmental delays

These are just some of the benefits that I believe would be found in this type of research project.  By learning more about home visiting programs and their positive benefits I believe early childhood professionals can provide higher quality services to young children and their families. 

Below is a video I have included from the PEW Organization.  It is a testimonial from a parent on the role that home visitng played in her life with her child.  The more we learn the better services we can provide!

My Personal Research Journey

I have to admit when I saw that this course, Building Research Competencies, was coming up I was a little intimidated and concerned at how interested I would be in this subject.  I was concerned with the statistical aspect and reading detailed research papers.  I am happy to say that I am really enjoying the course so far and was excited to pick a research topic.  The research topic I chose was Homevisiting Programs in Early Childhood Education and narrowed down a subtopic of factors that contribute to the success of these programs.

I have a very personal interest in this subject matter being an Early Head Start Home Visitor.  Within my career I have also been a Head Start Home Visitor.  I have also worked in the classroom but have always found myself going back to the home base option.  I have also participated as a parent in a home based intervention program for my son when he was little and found it to be very beneficial to both my son and my family as a whole.  I am always trying to look at ways that we can improve our program and provide better services to  my families.

I have also found working on the Research Chart has been very beneficial to me in that it gives me a better understanding of terms and topics.  By writing them down in my own words I am better able to remember and use the information in my own work.  Just this week I was able to show my supervisor why an article she chose to share with us on ADHD may not be the most accurate information.  I also was able to show her how to read a research article to get the information that you wanted, the article she chose was not even on preschoolers.  When we looked at the Participant section we found it was done actually on older children.  The research chart helped me to remember this information quickly and easily.  I was very excited to be able to share this information.

I now look forward to the remainder of this course and learning more about how to best utilize research data.

EDUC6162 Week 8

Consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development.

1. By learning more about the international early childhood field I will be better informed of global issues and trends that affect the field.  I can share this information with my colleagues and co-workers.
2. By communicating with others and learning more about international practices I will become more culturally competent.  I believe early childhood professionals should continually work on being culturally competent so that they can provide higher quality services to the families they serve.
3. I have also learned that we all, nationally and internationally, are fighting many of the same issues in the early childhood field.  We all struggle with access, availability, and providing quality programs. 

One goal for the field related to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations.

My goal for the field is that all professionals will work together, learn from one another, share what they have learned and bring more awareness to communities, political leaders, and society in general on the importance of high-quality early childhood care and education. 

Getting To Know Your International Contacts - Part 3

Korea

This week in my correspondence with Jo Theis, my international contact from Korea, she told me that her professional goals are to continue doing what she loves, working with children.  She enjoys working with children who have challenging behaviors, who can't sit still, and who think outside of the box.   She uses Art as her "vehicle" for doing this.  Ms. Theis holds four Teaching Licenses and always feels like she can continue to learn more, to her it is not about a "title" but rather about enjoying what she does. 

The school that Ms. Theis works at provides each staff member with $1200 a year for professional development which they can use as they choose.  This is how she was able to attend the conference in Malaysia, she is able to choose her own professional development.  She also attends any required or requested conferences, workshops, and/or seminars requested by the school.  These requested conferences, workshops, and/or seminars do not come out of her $1200.00 yearly budget. 

She believes that the International schools maintain a high level of professional development in order to keep their clientele.  Families pay a lot of money to attend these schools and expect staff to be knowledgeable, competent, and the best in their field. 

Ms. Theis hopes that one day the schools in the United States will also take professional development of staff as a priority and that we are able to find the funding to make our schools comparable to those around the world.


Costa Rica

My correspondence with  my other contact, Mrs. Tapiaaguilar, from Costa Rica stated that her professional goals were always to provide the best services to her families and the children that she worked with.  She still continues to stay current on issues and trends in the education system in Costa Rica and Mentors new teachers when needed. 

During the time that Mrs. Tapiaaguilar taught she stated that Professional Development was done at the Teacher's expense.  This shows how committed teachers truly had to be within the profession.  Now that Costa Rica has improved so much on their education system Professional Development is on going once you become a teacher.  You have yearly trainings, workshops, and conferences that you are required to attend.  These are paid for by the government.

Mrs. Tapiaaguilar stated that her professional hopes and dreams include seeing all children throughout the world receiving high-quality education services.  She believes every country has their own challenges to work through but that with commitment of professionals, parents, and governments these challenges can be overcome.

Sharing Web Resources - Week 6

The Global Fund For Children (GFC), www.globalfundforchildren.org, posted their Winter/Spring 2011 E-Newsletter.  In the Newsletter the new CEO, Kristin Lindsey introduces herself and two new board members.  She also summarized the mission of GFC for children globally by quoting her favorite Dr. Seuss book, Oh, The Places You Will Go.  From the book she quotes:

You have brains in your head
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
Any direction you choose.

The mission of GFC is to focus on children's safety, access to education, health, and their ability to thrive.  With these needs attended children can go anywhere and achieve anything.

The newsletter also provided an outside link to the conference the founder, Maya Ajmera attended at Duke University's National Conference on Social Entrepreneurship Education.  The conference focused on social problems facing children today and their solutions.

On the outside link at Duke University the article on the conference referenced what was discussed at the conference.  Issues such as health disparities, quality education, and the importance of grass roots organizations.  Michael Merson stated that the health disparities are a result of chronic disease, climate change, and inadequate health systems.  He also referenced the importance of health and its relation to development.

Leela Prasad discussed the quality of education and how it continues to be a global problem in both rural and urban areas.  She stated that their research shows dramatic changes in the quality of education can be seen when governments invest in schools, when this investment is reduced or taken away education quality declines.  This demonstrates the importance of government funding and investment into education.

The area of the website that I researched further was the Our Work section.  This section focuses on the news in Children's Issues.  There is an article on former child soldiers who even after a demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration process remain living in poverty.  Another article discusses the Democratic Republic of Congo stepping up its immunizations for pneumonia which is its leading cause of death in children under five.  The last article discussed how child advocates continue to fight in the Philippines for justice for young children who are targeted by the militia. 

One important insight I have gained from this website is the importance of grass root organizations.  These entrepreneurs who start up organizations and programs in their communities provide services for health, safety, and education for children who are often sometimes invisible, lost, or forgotten.